


In the Quiet Hour

by eyesofshinigami



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2013-09-09
Packaged: 2017-12-26 01:29:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/959987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eyesofshinigami/pseuds/eyesofshinigami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was here, in these moments, that Harry truly believed he was one of the luckiest people on the planet</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Quiet Hour

**Author's Note:**

> This rather short ficlet was inspired by an adorable [1D fanart](http://whatmakesyouawinchester.tumblr.com/post/60578245487/50shadesofgaylinson-rauqthetommo-its) that I found on Tumblr. Art credit goes to channybee. :)

Harry loved these moments best. The air was quiet, save for the muffled sounds of breath and soft snores. Underneath the blanket of darkness, he could find peace here.

Their world was constantly filled with noise. Between rehearsals and sold-out concerts, the chatter of inane questions and screaming fans, and the general cacophony that comes with being surrounded by teenage boys, it amazed Harry that they could find stolen silence. Here, cocooned in the warmth of his four best friends, he felt his bones relax.

The night had started out like normal, as these often did. The five of them bid one another goodnight as they headed off to their separate rooms. A luxury that they hadn’t had before and occasionally took to the fullest. Bone weary, Harry had thought that would be the end of it. 

Just as he settled into the king-size bed, a hesitant knock came on his door, thunderous in the stillness of his room. With a sigh, Harry got up and answered. He wasn’t at all surprised to find a rumpled Louis standing there.

“Couldn’t sleep alone,” he said, simply.

Harry nodded and motioned for him to follow. He heard the door close, but not click shut. Smiling to himself, he already knew what kind of night it was going to be. 

Louis climbed in first and lay on his side, glancing once over his shoulder when Harry didn’t seem to be moving fast enough. Only when Harry slid in behind him, front to his back, did he settle against the pillow. He grabbed Harry’s arm and slung it over his waist, essentially wrapping himself completely in the other boy.

Not that Harry minded, drinking in the warmth of his best friend and the clean smell of his hair. He let himself relax into the sheets again.

Once again, he heard a soft knock, followed by the creak of the door opening. “Harry?”

“C’mon in, Niall.”

The sound of shuffling feet echoed through the room and the bed dipped when Niall climbed in with his usual grace of flailing limbs. 

“Damn it, Niall! Lay down,” Louis hissed in a whisper. 

Harry caught what he guessed was Niall’s mumbled apology as he settled in on Louis’ other side. 

Louis huffed, turning over in Harry’s arms. “Just don’t kick me.”

“I’ll do me best,” Niall slurred, voice thick with sleep. Harry watched through lidded eyes as the blond head squirmed about for a moment before he finally stopped. Not even thirty seconds later (Harry guessed, he wasn’t really counting), Niall’s soft snores began to fill the air.

He caught Louis’ snort before he too, settled. 

Harry couldn’t keep the soft smile off his face as he slung his arm across both their shoulders. He closed his eyes and basked, only opening them when he felt someone looking at him. 

Liam was standing over the bed, wringing his hands together. His eyes were red-rimmed and even in the little bit of moonlight filtering through the curtain, Harry could make out the bags underneath. He went to open his mouth, but Harry just waved him in. Wordlessly, Liam climbed into the bed. 

As the room fell quiet again, Harry thought that might be the end of it. At least, until he saw a tussled-looking Zayn standing in the doorway. He didn’t even wait before heading in, the door closing with a decided click this time. He pulled himself up behind Liam, an almost perfect mirror to how Harry was laying with Louis. 

Harry grinned when he felt fingers sliding between his own, hearing Liam huff out a content sigh.

To most, it might seem odd, four nearly grown boys sleeping together in their pants, but they weren’t most. Their closeness still baffled Harry at times, even with friends he’d grown up with at home didn’t make him feel like this.

The five of them just fit, like odd-angled puzzle pieces that had finally clicked into place. Each of them balanced the others and kept them steady through the whirlwind that was their life. Harry couldn’t imagine what things would be like if one of them hadn’t been there.

For a long moment, he just closed his eyes and listened. Huffs of breath and near-silent snores melded together in the sleepy warmth that surrounded them. He could feel the steady thump of Louis’ heart against his chest, the soft give of Niall’s skin beneath his, and the grip of Liam’s fingers threaded through his own. Even the cold shock of Zayn’s toes against his leg couldn’t dim the peace he felt.

It was here, in these moments, that Harry truly believed he was one of the luckiest people on the planet. Warm, happy, and surrounded by people he had grown to love like family, he could barely believe it.

It may seems strange, but Harry wouldn’t trade where he was for the world. 

Surrounded by the soft sounds of his best friends he loved with all of his heart, Harry let himself drift off to sleep.

There was nowhere he would rather be. 

-end-


End file.
